India will be hosting the next Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit virtually on Tuesday. All member countries, including China and Pakistan, will be participating. Notably, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan's PM Shehbaz Sharif will be attending. Russian President Vladimir Putin will also be part of the summit, despite facing criticism for its actions against Ukraine.
The summit, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will focus on key issues such as terrorism, regional security, and prosperity. India's chairmanship is based on the theme SECURE, which represents security, economic development, connectivity, unity, respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and environmental protection. The theme was inspired by PM Modi's acronym coined at the SCO Qingdao Summit in 2018.
Countries Participating In The SCO Summit
The upcoming SCO summit will be held virtually, with only Pakistan and China attending in person. Other member countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan will participate online. Iran, Belarus, and Mongolia have been invited as Observer States, and Turkmenistan as the guest of the Chair. The heads of the Secretariat and the SCO RATS will also be present. Pakistan is currently facing numerous domestic problems and has been internationally criticized for its support of terrorists.
SCO Summit: Important Areas To Be Discussed
During the meeting, the member countries of the SCO are set to address various important topics such as the security situation in Afghanistan, the crisis in Ukraine, and measures to enhance cooperation among SCO states. Additionally, discussions on promoting economic connectivity and trade will also take place. This is the first time that India is holding the presidency of the organization since Pakistan joined.
